Provo Furnace Repair and Furnace Inspection: How Often Should I Have My Furnace Inspected?

Did you know that heating and cooling in the home accounts for half of the energy used by US households?

That’s right!

As if that’s not enough, utility rates in Provo, UT have gone up by at least $12.59 a month since 2017. That’s over $150 more a year on top of the yearly average range of $1,680 to $2,400 before the increase. Depending on the city’s utility assessment this 2020, it may go up even more.

Put off necessary Provo furnace repair and inspections, and you can expect even higher bills.

More than that, your furnace may end up completely breaking down when you need it the most. A faulty or ill-maintained furnace may even give rise to fire and health hazards.

Wondering how exactly a malfunctioning home heating equipment can do all that? Keep reading, that’s exactly what you’ll learn in this post.

How to Tell That You Need Provo Furnace Repair

It’s best that you check the condition of your furnace before the heating season. This way, you can catch problems early on and have them fixed promptly. Here are the top signs that you need to schedule furnace repairs in Provo.

Mostly Yellow or Orange Flames

Is your Provo home one of the eight in 10 households in Utah that use natural gas for heating? If so, be sure to check the flame color of your furnace’s burner. Blue or almost completely blue flames (with a tiny yellow tip) indicate a healthy furnace.

If you are seeing yellow or orange flames, turn off the furnace and call a furnace service expert right away. Such colors usually indicate incomplete combustion. Not only is this a waste of gas; it’s also a safety hazard.

Inadequate Heating

A faulty thermostat can misread the temperature inside your home. As a result, it won’t properly communicate with your furnace, which may be the reason for the lack of heat.

Leaks in the ductwork are also a common culprit behind inadequate heating. In fact, a typical home loses between 20% to 30% of heated air blown through the ducts because of leaks and holes!

Before you call an HVAC repair specialist, try adjusting the thermostat first. If this doesn’t do the trick, it’s time to ring up a reliable Provo furnace repair technician.

No Heat At All

In combustion furnaces, no heat often signals a failed gas furnace ignitor or a dead pilot light. In electric heaters, this issue usually arises from broken thermostats and blown fuses. In either case, you should schedule furnace repairs ASAP.

When and How Often Should You Schedule Professional Provo Furnace Inspections?

At least once, and ideally, before Provo’s cool fall season sets in. If possible, schedule it in early September, when the temperature can already drop to as low as 51 degrees F in the city. Come October, the average temperature can already go down to 40 degrees F.

The earlier you get a furnace inspection, the sooner you’ll know if your heater needs repairs. Early inspections will also give you more time to get the repairs done before the very cold months roll in. You’d want those repairs done ASAP, or you risk letting the problems turn into bigger, pricier repairs.

You also get to avoid the “winter rush” in Provo by scheduling your furnace inspection early. Many of the city’s homeowners tend to have their furnaces checked and fixed in winter itself. If you do the same, you may have to wait for several days to find a free service slot.

How Routine Furnace Inspections Can Help Prevent Equipment Breakdowns

Even if you don’t need Provo Furnace Repair, a yearly inspection will reveal the condition of its parts. This will then give you an idea of how long they have before they ultimately fail. By knowing this, you can schedule their repairs or replacements on time.

This will then help prevent your furnace from suddenly breaking down in the dead of the winter.

A furnace inspection prior to the heating season will also ensure that the unit is safe to use. For instance, damaged burners can trigger deadly homes fires.

Keep in mind that faulty heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires in the US. In fact, defective heating devices resulted in 52,050 fires each year from 2012 to 2016.

Aside from fires, malfunctioning furnaces can also release toxic gases into your home. This usually occurs due to a damaged heat exchanger. Cracks in a heat exchanger can allow combustion gases, such as carbon monoxide, to leak into the air.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is highly flammable and toxic. What makes it even more deadly is that it’s invisible, odorless, and tasteless. In the US, CO poisoning claims at least 430 lives each year.

Provo also had a recent CO poisoning incident, which took place at a church in October 2019. 60 people had to get treatment after exposure to the deadly gas.

All these prove how vital furnace inspections are for equipment efficiency and safety. That’s why you should never skip it. Besides, you only need it at least once a year, but it will benefit you throughout Provo’s long heating season.

What Goes into Professional Furnace Inspections?

If you hire a reliable Provo HVAC company, your furnace inspection will be a key part of an overall tune-up. HVAC maintenance and tune-ups are necessary to keep your system running efficiently. Keep in mind that the more efficient your furnace is, the less energy it will use (be it electricity or gas).

So, what can you expect during this service? Below is an outline of some of the most important steps taken during a furnace inspection.

Visual Inspection

The licensed HVAC inspectors will make sure that the burners are clean and that the flue pipe is clear. They’ll check the heat exchanger for any signs of cracks and leaks. They’ll also inspect the furnace blower fan, blower amps, blower motor, and the ductwork.

Next, they’ll confirm that all connections (electrical, gas, and voltage) are secure. They’ll also check for any frayed wirings, especially in the ignition and thermostat.

Component Testing

The furnace inspector will also test the fan control and key switches, such as the main limit switch. All safety controls will also undergo testing for safety and proper functioning.

The inspector will measure the temperature before and after turning the thermostat on. This will help ensure that the thermostat is properly reading the indoor temperature.

Maintenance Tasks You Can Do As a Homeowner

There are some furnace maintenance tasks that you can do on your own, including the following.

Install a Fresh Filter

As with air conditioner filters, most furnaces also need a fresh one after every three months. However, replacing your filters every month or two will help keep indoor air quality at its best. You should also inspect the filter every 30 days to see if it’s starting to clog up.

Clean air filters can help cut back the energy use of your HVAC system by 15%. Whereas dirty filters can lead to poor airflow, which can then cause your furnace to overheat.

Remove Biological Build-Up on the Furnace Drain Pipe

First, gently wipe away algae or mold build-up on the outside of the furnace drain line. This drain line is usually made of PVC pipe, but it may also be a metal tube. High-efficiency condensing furnaces have PVC pipes, while conventional furnaces have metal tubes.

Next, follow the pipe or tube to get to the actual drain. This is where the condensation produced by your furnace ultimately ends up. The drain line dumps the water into this drain, which then directs it away from your home.

Clean the drain by removing larger debris that may be blocking the vents. Then, use a vacuum cleaner to remove debris from the inside of the drain.

Get Rid of Outdoor Unit Obstructions

Keep the outdoor unit of your heating equipment free from obstructions like vegetation. Overgrown grass and piles of leaves can restrict the flow of air into the unit. Mow the lawn and rake those leaves to keep the heater up and running whenever you need it.

Prompt Repairs and Full Inspections Can Extend the Life of Your Furnace

There you have it, your ultimate guide on Provo furnace repair and inspections. As you can see, they play vital roles in ensuring your furnace’s safe and efficient operation. That’s why it’s never a good idea to delay or skip either, as doing so will put you at risk of losing heat when you need it the most.

Ready to get your Provo furnace back in tip-top condition? Then please don’t hesitate to connect with us now! We’ll be happy to schedule your unit for a full inspection and tune-up ASAP.